Governors Oppose Biden's National Guard Proposal: States Unite to "Preserve Authority"

The Biden administration has proposed a plan that would grant the Secretary of the Air Force sole authority to transfer Air National Guardsmen from any state to Space Force units without requiring governors' approval.
The proposal, known as Legislative Proposal 480, affects approximately 1,000 Air National Guardsmen across 14 space units.
Governors from all 50 states, territories, and commonwealths have signed letters opposing the proposal, arguing it would undermine their authority and the National Guard's readiness and deployability.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott called the proposal an "intolerable threat" and a "power grab," while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said it would "flout more than a century of precedent."
A White House official stated that the Biden administration stands by the proposal for a one-time transfer of Air Guardsmen to the Space Force to help expand that division and space security.
The proposal is currently under review by the Senate Armed Services Committee, with no further reports on the committee's planned actions.
A bipartisan group of 56 House members and 29 senators have urged the Armed Services committees to reject the proposal, calling it "deeply flawed" and a threat to the National Guard system.

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Republican Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida have joined 48 other state governors and five U.S. territory leaders in condemning a proposal that would allow the Democratic administration to take control of National Guard units away from governors nationwide.
The proposal, known as U.S. Air Force's Legislative Proposal 480 (LP480), would enable the Secretary of the Air Force to transfer space functions currently performed by the Air National Guard to the U.S. Space Force without first obtaining gubernatorial consent.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall suggested that LP480 would not set a precedent for other services to take control of National Guard elements without governors' approval, calling it a unique situation due to the creation of the Space Force.
Retired Major General Francis M. McGinn, head of the National Guard Association of the United States, warned that the proposal constitutes an existential threat to the National Guard and a significant federal overreach that bypasses longstanding gubernatorial authority.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the National Governors Association emphasized the importance of retaining the authority laid out in U.S.C. Title 32, Section 104, and noted that LP480 conflicts with existing laws requiring gubernatorial consultation and approval for changes to National Guard units.
Abbott and DeSantis penned separate letters on Friday, with Abbott calling LP480 an "intolerable threat" to the Texas National Guard and a dangerous precedent, while DeSantis argued that the proposal weakens Florida's ability to address domestic emergencies, especially during hurricane season.
A bipartisan group of senators and representatives has urged the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees to keep LP480 out of the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, calling it "deeply flawed" and a threat to over 120 years of precedent.
A White House official indicated that the Biden administration supports LP480, which is consistent with the structure authorized by Congress for the U.S. Space Force in the fiscal 2024 defense policy bill.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers, consisting of 56 House members and 29 senators, is urging the congressional Armed Services committees to reject the Biden administration's proposal to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force without gubernatorial consent.
In a letter dated May 6, the lawmakers argued that the proposal is "deeply flawed" and would "undermine" the nation's National Guard system, which is based on the principle of serving both the country and the community.
The lawmakers emphasized that the original intent of the National Guard was to have a force ready to respond to the needs of their state and country, with authority placed in the hands of each state's governor.
They further argued that governors bear the responsibility to protect the safety of their citizens by maintaining the readiness and deployability of their National Guard units.
The letter was led by Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), the founding co-chair of the Space Force Caucus, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).
The move, proposed to be included in the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal 2025, would affect about 14 space units, equal to approximately 1,000 Air National Guardsmen.
A White House official stated that the Biden administration supports the Defense Department's suggestion for a one-time transfer of National Guard missions into the Space Force, consistent with the structure approved by Congress in the 2024 defense policy bill